Shravan Ki Sumo, Sumo Ka Shravan

Ramu kaka strikes!

The rosy cheeks...rosy lips.. long eyelashes... feathery hips...the tinkling earrings.. the jingling bangles.. the wavy hair tied to a bun..( He slowly pulled the pin out and the tresses cascaded down. She stirred but slept on.)
His self outside himself ..the prettiest woman on earth.. the haughtiest too at times... why Sumo?

His fingers slowly traced her face as he lay beside her on the bed. He tapped her nose gently.. He loved it.. it quivered when she was angry and turned red when she was shy.. it was soft and rubbery.. he had pulled it many times when they were at school. How she used to hate it !😉😂

Shravan knew he had this bundle of love for just 3 more hours.. no matter how late she slept these days Sumo had developed an astonishingly strong body clock and would wake up by 6. He would not sleep... he would not even wink!.

He slowly placed his lips on her closed eyes.. her nosetip...her lips. He quickly pulled himself baackwards.. No their first kiss would be special not stolen.. with love.. with depth.. if not anything atleast with her awake!

He had had many occasions to confess his love but something had to go wrong! He would do it today.. at daybreak.. tell her he wanted to wake up like this everyday...he wanted her to relax with his touch like this night.. he wanted him to relax after a tiring day in her lap.. he wanted to share her pain.. her problems, her worries with him. He wanted to share every joy, every pain with her.. he wanted to share his life with her and hers with him..  he kept looking at her  and lost track of time.

At 5 00 his mobile alarm started..bzzzz bzzz.. 'Oh holy lord! He had forgotten to switch it off after he had set it for an early morning flight last day'

Suman rolled and woke up. She quickly jumped out of the bed and turned. Shravan did  not miss the fleeting relief on her face when she saw him... 'yes maam, I know better me than him 😉'. She went to the washroom without a word. Chal beta ! Tayyar  ho ja Sumowar ke liye.
She came out. She had washed hee face and straightened her dress. "Shravan, mujhe ghar le jao... abhi "
There was a slight tremor in her voice. She had cried or was about to. He got up and went to her. She backed off and quickly stepped out of the suite. By the time he came out she was in the lobby.  Aditya was still sleeping, but Shravan did not bother.  He booked a cab and took Sumo home. Not a word was spoken the entire journey.  She had stared out of the window like she was a statue. Leave alone confessing his love, Shravan could muster courage to even ask her what had happened. She looked fierce and he knew why! But he could not have let her sleep in the lobby!Anybody could have carried her... she was relieved right?? .. but the lawyer knew they were the weakest arguments. And what with a driver around, Shravan did not definitely want to be slapped or shouted upon!

The car stopped and he jumped out and ran to open her door. But she was already out running and had rung the bell.

"Itni jaldi kya hai Sumo?"

Pause... "No Shravan, kaafi der ho chuki hai"

"Tum kiske baare mein bol rahi ho?"

Suman looked up with moist eyes "not now Shravan... and thanks"

Mamaji opened the door and Sumo nearly disappeared into her room.

After usual pleasantries, Shravan took leave stating that Sumo was fine and had been well tended to.

Once he was back in Malhotra mansion, he found that all were sleeping. It was early morning and he sneaked in.

"Shravan , tum kab aaye?" Ramnath called out. He was in the sitout reading something.

"Good morning papa.Aap itni jaldi  casefiles ke saath?.. kaunsa case hai papa? "

"Good morning Shravan.. nahin kuch khaas nahi.. bus tum bolo.. kisse mile.. sab theek to hai. London ka client ? "

Shravan grinned "Nahi papa. Just Sumo.  Bus kisi ko mat kehna.. ya fir log kuch bhi bolenge.."

"WHAT?.. you spent the night with Sumo?"

"Shh..papa.. aisa kuch nahi hua.. Aditya bhi tha.. she just became unconscious and we took her to Aditya's hotel, so that she can rest.  She was in another room and Aditya in another  room and I shared that room..."

"Oh.. haan haan.. naturally, sorry beta. You did a good thing.  Wo bechari kaafi kaam kar chuki thi.. lagta hai aaj mujhe akele hi office jaana padhega.. Pushkar to nahi aayega and tum bhi rest karlo. Outstation case.. shaadi..late night.. take care beta"

"Haan papa.. I ll go back to.sleep but I ll come to office later. Aap chinta mat keejiye.. mein aa jaoonga "

Shravan went up to his room. Sumo aaj papa se jhoot bulva diya..jhoot nahi fir bhi I led him to believe  I shared the room with Adi and not you. Hum ye chup chupke milne waale kyon ban gaya.. wo to school ke saath khatam ho gaya.. bring it out Sumo. Apni dil ki baat suno aur meri bhi... !

Ramnath  didn't waste a minute
. He immediately set off to Tiwary killa. They were surprised to see  him but he reassured  that he had come only to check on Tiwary ji after a long tiring day.

Tiwary ji at once told him that as long as Suman is not happily married off to a nice family, no physical exertion can compare with his mental  tension. Sabhi baton mein haan mein haan milake Ramnath Sumo se milne jaate hain.

Sumo was in her room dreading the meeting. Shravan may, but she did not trust Aditya.  And one look at Ramnath and she knew, he knew. 

He slowly entered and sat on the sofa.
" Mein to acha lawyer hoon, par tum to achi business woman nikli. Preeti ki shaadi ka sauda tha.. bus tab tak hi rok paayi apne aap ko? Khood padi jaal lekar mere bete par.. "

"Uncle please.."

" silence!... sit down! "

She sat in front of him knowing the worst words  were yet to come. How she wished to turn deaf and die! Isi baat ka to dar tha Shravan.. par tumhe to samaj hi nahi hai...

"Tiwariji tumhari shaadi lekar kaafi pareshaan hai.. mein bhi.. tum Aditya se hi shaadi karogi.. in fact kisi se bhi karo but jaldi karogi and Shravan ki taraf dekhogi bhi nahi.. tumhe kya laga aage kuch nahi hoga.. mere ek ishare mein Kamini divorce ke liye haan kar degi.. aur ek pyaar mein haari Preeti se kayi buri hogi divorce mein wapis aayi ladki.. wo tumhari jaise mordern nahi hai.. shayad jaan de bhaithe.. aur  uska kaaran tum.
Tum to kuch bhi karne layak ho.. kuch bhi karne ko tuli ho.. aur Shravan ko wapas jeetna hi tha to thada ruk kar bhi to kar sakti thi.. usi raat ko uske bahon mein jaani ki jaldi?? Chi chi.."

" uncle... aapko jo bolna tha wo ho gaya to please aap chale jayiye . Mein jaanti hoon sachayi kya hai. Mujhe pata hai aap kya tabahi macha sakte hain.. so please aapko mere baare mein aur kuch kahne ki zaroorat nahi hai.. mein sab samaj gayi.. and please mein apni shaadi dekh loongi aur Nanu ko.bhi... thanks but no thanks" she got up sobbing and stood near her door. Ramnath walked out saying " tumse jitna mera beta door rahe utna sab ke liye acha hai.."

She closed the door after him and flung herself onto the bed sobbing.

To be continued..

Vote and comment.. unromantic but an important epsiode.